


Kitty

by krisdreaming



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/M, Gen, Slightly Cracky?, Weird pacing, just cat ownership tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:13:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29830281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krisdreaming/pseuds/krisdreaming
Summary: In which Kuroo finds himself just a little bit jealous of your cat
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Reader
Kudos: 20





	Kitty

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr @[krisdreaming](krisdreaming.tumblr.com).

“Okay, Mittens, here we are!” You announce to the cat carrier as you step into the living room. Tetsurou is right behind you, and he steps off to the side as you carefully set the carrier on the floor. He can’t help but smile as he watches you stoop down and open the door, trying to coax the cat out into the room. He knows how long you’ve been waiting for this. 

Hesitantly, the cat pokes his nose out of the carrier and looks around the strange room, then takes a few more steps to give your fingers a sniff, finally butting his head against your hand. You scratch behind his ears, eliciting a grumbling purr. After four years of only seeing your childhood cat on breaks from school, today you and Tetsurou picked Mittens up from your parents’ house. The extra weeks of searching for an apartment that allowed pets are all worthwhile just seeing the grin on your face.

“Come say hi!” You beckon suddenly, turning that smile to Tetsurou. He hesitates for half a second. He’s met Mittens several times now, but he can’t say the cat has ever had a particular affinity for him. He crosses the room anyway and crouches down, the movement causing the cat to turn from you and assess him coolly. 

“Hi, Mittens, remember me?” He extends his fingers, and the cat gives them a disdainful sniff before turning and slinking off.

“He probably just wants to explore,” You chirp, jumping to your feet. “I’d better fill his food dish and make sure he knows where the litter box is!” Tetsurou nods and watches you scurry off, blissfully unaware of the affect this cat is going to have on his life.

It starts later that evening. The dinner dishes are drying, and Tetsurou wants nothing more than to curl up on the couch with you and watch mindless television. If he’s lucky, you’ll even let him lay his head on your lap and run your fingers through his hair. 

The two of you settle on the couch and scroll through Netflix in search of the perfect show. When you’ve finally decided on something, Tetsurou tosses the remote on the coffee table and shifts closer to you just as Mittens jumps on the couch next to him. 

“Aww, c’mere!” You pat your lap and the cat wastes no time accepting your invitation, padding across his lap to yours, kneading your thigh for a few moments before turning in a circle and curling into a neat ball. In no time, he’s purring away. 

Tetsurou lets it slide for a little while, figuring the cat will soon decide to go have a bite to eat or use the litter box or whatever else it is that cats do, leaving your lap free for the taking. It’s not that he’s getting impatient or anything, but when he shifts his legs to get more comfortable, his knee brushes the cat’s back. With a startled sound, Mittens lifts his head and peers at Testurou.

“Tetsu,” You murmur, elbowing him lightly, “Careful, you’ll scare him off.” After another moment, the cat lays his head down again. He looks awfully comfortable there. Stifling a sigh, Tetsurou rests his arm on the back of the couch around your shoulders and leans his head against yours in resignation.

A few episodes later, you shift more upright and the cat stands, jumping from your lap and loping off in the direction of the litter box. “Well,” You chuckle softly, “Guess we should go to bed before he gets comfy again, huh?” You turn to Tetsurou, who immediately softens at the sight of your sleepy smile.

“Sounds good to me,” He agrees a little too quickly, getting to his feet and pulling you up, too. He presses a light kiss to your lips before turning to get ready for bed.

It’s only been a few weeks, and sharing a home with you is still new to him. Every night, he still feels a thrill of pleasant warmth just thinking of crawling into bed next to you. After a long day, there’s nothing he loves more than pulling you close and burying his face in the crook of your neck.

Tonight, you lay nose to nose, chatting and giggling. Tetsurou’s hand rests on your hip, his fingers just beneath the hem of your sweatpants absently tracing against your skin. You reach out and rest your palm on his cheek, face scrunching into a grin as you lean forward to press a chaste kiss to his lips. He loops one leg across both of yours, enjoying the closeness. That is, until he hears a small meow and sees a pointy pair of ears pop up behind you. Mittens rests his front paws on your thigh, and Tetsurou isn’t quite sure what to make of the look he’s giving.

“Aw, come on, sweetheart.” You back away from Testurou, creating a pocket of space between you, and pat the mattress. With a satisfied mew, the cat settles in. Your hand has left Tetsurou’s cheek and is now resting on Mittens’ back. 

“I think he’s settling in well,” You say softly, smoothing the cat’s fur. Tetsurou can only nod. “He had a chance to explore and check out the apartment, and it seems like he likes it,” You go on, a tiny smile on your face as you watch Mittens’ eyes slide shut in contentment, his purring building. “I’m glad.” At that, your eyes slide up to meet Tetsurou’s, clearly expecting him to chime in.

“Mm-hmm,” He hums. “I’m glad, too.” He is, truly. Mittens makes you happy, so that makes him happy. With time, surely Mittens will warm up to him a little more. He scoots as close to you as he dares and leans in to press a kiss to your forehead before settling in to sleep.

Sometime in the middle of the night, he wakes up, bleary but just conscious enough to recognize that the cat is gone. As he slips back into sleep, he slides an arm around your middle and pulls you close.

The next morning, he wakes up to an empty bed. He has a vague memory of waking up just as the room began to fill with the first light and looking over to see Mittens pawing at your arm. You must’ve gotten up to tend to him.

As he slides out of bed, he can just make out the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting from the kitchen. Following his nose, he makes his way down the hall. He can hear you shuffling around and clanking dishes in the kitchen. That sound is all too familiar - maybe you’ve gotten a head start on breakfast.

He thinks you must hear him coming down the hall, because you start talking. “Who’s hungry? Hmm? Are we ready for breakfast?” Tetsurou all but bursts into the kitchen, half-expecting a spread of pancakes and bacon all ready for him. Instead, he’s greeted by you, scraping the last of a tin of paté onto a small dish while Mittens watches, already licking his chops. You stand back with a satisfied hum, watching as the cat hungrily descends on the meal. Despite himself, Testurou feels himself deflating. 

“Hey Tetsu, you’re up! Wanna have something quick for breakfast before we go grocery shopping? I think there’s some cereal left in the cupboard. Or toast, if you’d rather.” You reach for your coffee mug and peer at him over the rim, waiting for his response.

“I’ll have the cereal, unless you want it,” He says finally, reaching for the refrigerator handle.

“All yours!” You say brightly, then take a sip of your coffee. He pulls a mug from the cupboard and lazily sloshes coffee inside. “You wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” You ask then, eying him critically.

“Nope,” He manages a grin. “I’m fine, I promise.” You nod, but something in your expression says you’re not quite convinced. To his relief, you let it go at that.

That afternoon, Tetsurou is in the bedroom looking through his unpacked boxes one last time. In the shuffle of the move, it seems he’d gathered up some of Kenma’s things by mistake, and Kenma has been after him to return them. He’s collected a small box of things he’s come across that belong to his friend, and this afternoon he’s planning to drop them off. When he hears you call, he moves to the doorway to listen.

“Come on, where are you hiding?” Your voice is muffled. You must be across the apartment.

“Babe,” He calls back, “I’m in the bedroom.”

“Come out, handsome boy!” He’s taken aback by the unusual pet name, but he shakes his head. You mustn’t have been able to hear him.

“Babe,” He says again as he makes his way down the hall. “I’m-” He stops short when he finds you in the living room, on your hands and knees peering under the couch. “You’re looking for the cat,” He says, shuffling a few steps backwards hoping the doorway would be so kind as to swallow him up.

You laugh. “Totally looking for the cat,” You confirm with a chuckle, “He’s got a vet appointment this afternoon, remember? Somehow he always knows.” You stand up and go to check the kitchen, and just when he thinks he’s in the clear, you turn back with a smirk. “Don’t worry, you’re my handsome boy, too.”

“Shut up,” He ducks away, but you still manage to reach up and pat his cheek, chuckling as you walk past. 

“Anyway, you’re leaving soon, right? Have fun at Kenma’s,” You call over your shoulder as you continue your search. He goes back to the bedroom to grab the box of Kenma’s stuff and catches Mittens slinking out from under the bed. 

“Good luck, bro,” He says as he watches the cat slip out of the room and down the hall. Judging by the direction he’s headed, he’ll be intercepted soon enough. “See you later!” He calls out, shutting the door behind him just as he hears your cry of success.

Sitting in Kenma’s living room, the conversation inevitably swings around to the events of the past few days. A polite question from Kenma leads to Tetsurou telling Kenma the entire events of the past 24 hours. If nothing else, he’s sure his friend will find it amusing. 

When he realizes Tetsurou’s finished talking, Kenma lowers his phone, fixing his piercing gaze on Tetsurou. His lips tilt upwards in a slight smile before he says, “You’re jealous of the cat.”

Inhaling a sharp gasp, Tetsurou frowns. “I’m not jealous of the cat,” He rebuffs quickly. It’s absurd. Kenma raises an eyebrow. Okay, maybe he’s a tiny bit jealous of the cat. But is he going to admit it? Never.

“You’ll work it out.” Kenma assures him, the slightest hint of a chuckle in his tone. Tetsurou sighs. Some day maybe he’ll learn not to be surprised by Kenma’s astuteness. 

he thinks it over on the way home. He just needs to get used to it, he decides. He’s never had a cat before. He’s gotten used to it being just the two of you. He and Mittens will get used to each other with time. Ridiculous as it sounds even in his head, he’ll learn to “share” you with the cat.

When he gets home, he finds you in the kitchen. “How’d the vet go?” He asks, glancing around. Mittens is nowhere in sight. He sidles up next to you and rests his chin on your shoulder. You lean into his touch, he notices with satisfaction.

“It went well. He’s staying healthy, even for an older cat.” You run your fingers down Tetsurou’s arm in a soothing motion. 

“That’s good,” Tetsurou murmurs. As if he senses you’re talking about him, Mittens walks into the room and then heads to his water fountain for a drink. You don’t miss Testurou’s eyes following him.

“You and Mittens aren’t so different, you know,” You giggle. Testurou narrows his eyes at the cat, who shifts onto his haunches and levelly returns the stare. “You both think you’re being cool, but you just want my attention.”

“Pfft.” He waves his hand as though brushing off the idea. 

“Don’t play coy with me,” You insist, and Tetsurou sheepishly meets your gaze. “You two are going to love each other soon,” You say confidently. “Don’t worry, I have plenty of attention for both of my handsome boys.” You giggle.

“I’m never gonna live that down, am I?” He sighs.

“Nope.” You pull him in for a kiss, lips curling up into a smile against his. “Come on, let’s go watch some TV,” You say, lacing your fingers with his and giving his hand a tug. “I’ll play with your hair,” You promise, shooting him an all-too-knowing grin. Now, that he can’t say no to. As you lead him out of the kitchen, he shoots one last smug glance in Mittens’ direction.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! There's a lot more where this came from on tumblr @[krisdreaming](krisdreaming.tumblr.com)


End file.
